Thread: Laughing And Crying

What is to laugh or cry? What is going on inside our bodies during these processes, both biochemically and in our central nervous system? Why do humans do both while no other animal on the planet does either (at least not to display happiness and sadness)? Why does laughter feel good?

I've been intrigued about this for a while now; I recently saw a guy crying on TV, and I nearly burst into tears myself with such heart-wrenching sympathy and sadness. I couldn't explain it. I can't remember the last time I cried but this man brought me to the edge. Once I started questioning the act of crying I began thinking about laughter as well.

So, who can answer my questions, or add anything else?

What is to laugh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughter

or cry?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tears

I've been intrigued about this for a while now; I recently saw a guy crying on TV, and I nearly burst into tears myself with such heart-wrenching sympathy and sadness. I couldn't explain it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy

What I find most peculiar about these two actions, which most would consider to be opposites, is the fact that they are so similar.

Think about it. Haven't you laughed so hard you cried?

The good feeling you get from laughter seems to also be present during a good sob. I'd guess there's a chemical release in the brain, maybe endorphins, but I'm not gonna look into. Gotta have some mystery to life.

Originally Posted by Kushna Mufeed

What I find most peculiar about these two actions, which most would consider to be opposites, is the fact that they are so similar.

Think about it. Haven't you laughed so hard you cried?

I've definitely felt so horrible I've burst out laughing in between bouts of crying but I haven't yet been so happy I've cried.

Laughing and crying is really meaningless. the only thing that really matters is: Crying While Eating!!!

Curse you and your "We're sorry, this video is no longer available." video!

Originally Posted by Kushna Mufeed

What I find most peculiar about these two actions, which most would consider to be opposites, is the fact that they are so similar.

Think about it. Haven't you laughed so hard you cried?

So when my pet dog died, I was actually laughing.

Originally Posted by psychology student

So when my pet dog died, I was actually laughing.

Uh, no. I'm talking about laughing so hysterically that tears fall from your eyes. Honestly, go watch a comedy.

I said laughing so hard that you cry, not crying so hard that you laugh.

There was the bear that starved itself to death after its mate died, there are dogs that basically wail out when something is troubling them. In a book called "Mapping the Mind" I read that pain is directly related to emotions. This is why when your mind is on something else you wont feel pain as much. Have you ever seen that video with that woman who walked around a store with a knife in her back and never knew? Anyways, while animals may not produce tears for pain, it has nothing to do with their intelligence (I only mention this because someone on the Internet as I was browsing for answers seemed to think that crying with tears is related to intelligence ).

However there do seem to be at least some animals that cry for the same reasons...or at least the same stimuli.
There is a marine mammal called the Dogong which lives in the Indian Ocean who sheds real tears when in trouble or pain.

Another note, my dog showed signs of depression, and would lay down outside and not even bother to swat the flies away, on some days, and then other days he would be chewing his ass to get the bastards away.

I would cover laughter but that is useless since it has already been covered.

Humans cry and laugh for specific reasons, probably communicative, you might say, then why do you cry or laugh alone? Because the "reason" for it may not be the same as the...well the best word I can say is "calling" for it. There is no reason to think other animals don't have the same "calling" with a different result. We happened to have developed crying/laughing, other animals have things like sweat, shrieks, movements, color change, etc.